The COVID-19 pandemic: Workplace safety management practices, job insecurity, and employees' organizational citizenship behavior

Thinh-Van Vu; Tan Vo-Thanh; Nguyen Phong Nguyen; Duy Van Nguyen; Hsinkuang Chi

doi:10.1016/j.ssci.2021.105527

The COVID-19 pandemic: Workplace safety management practices, job insecurity, and employees' organizational citizenship behavior

Saf Sci. 2022 Jan:145:105527. doi: 10.1016/j.ssci.2021.105527. Epub 2021 Oct 5.

Authors

Thinh-Van Vu^{1

2}, Tan Vo-Thanh³, Nguyen Phong Nguyen⁴, Duy Van Nguyen⁵, Hsinkuang Chi¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Business Administration, Nanhua University, Chiayi, Taiwan, No. 55, Sec. 1, Nanhua Rd., Dalin Township, Chiayi County 62249, Taiwan.
² Department of Human Resource Management, Thuongmai University, Hanoi, Vietnam, 79 Ho Tung Mau Street, Mai Dich Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi, Viet Nam.
³ Tourism Department, Economics - Management Faculty, Dong Nai Technology University, 5 Nguyen Khuyen Street, 5 Ward, Trang Dai District, Bien Hoa City, Vietnam.
⁴ School of Accounting, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, 59C Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, 6th Ward, 3rd District, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
⁵ Quantitative Analysis Center, QA Global Co., 9/82 Chua Lang Street, Dong Da District, Hanoi, Viet Nam.

Abstract

How do organizations and employees react to the COVID-19 pandemic? Can workplace safety management practices (WSPs) maintain employees' organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) in this time of global health crisis? Can employees' perceptions of the risk associated with COVID-19 and job insecurity mediate the WSPs-OCB relationship? Drawing upon social exchange and protection motivation theories, this research aims to answer such questions. Analyzing the survey data from 501 Vietnamese employees using SmartPLS software, we find that WSPs positively influence the OCB and negatively influence the perceived job insecurity. Furthermore, the perceived risk associated with COVID-19 positively affects perceived job insecurity and OCB. Unexpectedly, in the context of Vietnam, a developing country with a collectivist culture, WSPs increase the employees' perceived risk associated with COVID-19 instead of reducing their fear. Also, employees' perceptions of job insecurity are not statistically correlated with OCB. In addition, we reveal a partial mediating role of the perceived risk associated with COVID-19 in the WSPs-OCB relationship. This research highlights the power of WSPs as well as measures to psychologically reassure employees during the pandemics.

Keywords: Job insecurity; Organizational citizenship behavior; Perceived risk associated with the COVID-19 pandemic; Workplace safety management practices.